In today’s news: How music influences our body chemistry, and the Cumnock Tryst programme 2017 is announced. Roy Budd’s original version of the Phantom of the Opera. Marina Khorkova receives Berlin-Rheinsberg compositions award, and Axel Kober takes over the Duisburg Philharmonics. The last concert of Julian Wachner at the Washington Chorus.

In the summer of 1993, Roy Budd was about to realise a long-held dream. Budd was a leading jazz pianist, as well as a revered film composer best known for his celebrated work for hit 1960s thriller Get Carter.

From his deathbed, Ravi Shankar composed Sukanya, an opera for his beloved wife. His daughter reveals how a Hindi myth, a British orchestra, and the sitar and shennai have formed a coherent and moving whole.

Sir James MacMillan has announced the programme for the fourth Cumnock Tryst, which will take place in venues across Cumnock, New Cumnock and Auchinleck and at Dumfries House between 28 September and 1 October 2017.

In our classical news today, Nicola Luisotti announces that he will leave San Francisco Opera, 19th century violin stolen after bomb evacuation and new luxury train in Ireland offers music entertainment. Also, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra announces its new season ‘Revolution’ and a rare Stradivarius is recorded for the first time.

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2016/17 season is themed ‘Revolution’. The theme encompasses landmark works by Bach, Berlioz, Stravinsky and The Beatles, as well as a Beethoven symphony cycle from chief conductor Vasily Petrenko.

There is a faint smell of burning in Mark Wigglesworth’s flat, five floors up from one of the tiny alleys that criss-cross the district between Drury Lane and Leicester Square. The source of the odour isn’t a bridge being burnt, although one might imagine it, as the music director of English National Opera breaks his two-month silence on the subject of his resignation.

Listings website Bachtrack.com has, for the fourth time, published an analysis of its data from the last year’s classical performances. It shows a surge of popularity Britten in his centenary year, Valery Gergiev closely followed by Andris Nelsons as the busiest conductor in the world, and a dismal lack of women composers and conductors.

Students of California’s prestigious Stanford University are obliged to study classical music, Shakespeare or take voice lessons alongside their main discipline to make them into leaders with a broad range of skills. “Arts will fundamentally change our students, and it will change students who come to Stanford.”
The Stage